Connectors are used to connect coaxial cables to various electronic devices such as televisions, antennas, set-top boxes, satellite television receivers, etc. Conventional coaxial connectors generally include a connector body having an annular collar for accommodating a coaxial cable, and an annular nut rotatably coupled to the collar for providing mechanical attachment of the connector to an external device and an annular post interposed between the collar and the nut. The annular collar that receives the coaxial cable includes a cable receiving end for insertably receiving a coaxial cable and, at the opposite end of the connector body, the annular nut includes an internally threaded end that permits screw threaded attachment of the body to an external device.
This type of coaxial connector also typically includes a locking sleeve to secure the cable within the body of the coaxial connector. The locking sleeve, which is typically formed of a resilient plastic, is securable to the connector body to secure the coaxial connector thereto. In this regard, the connector body typically includes some form of structure to cooperatively engage the locking sleeve. Such structure may include one or more recesses or detents formed on an inner annular surface of the connector body, which engages cooperating structure formed on an outer surface of the sleeve.
Conventional coaxial cables 4 typically include a center conductor 44 surrounded by an insulator 46 (or insulation spacer), as shown in FIG. 1A. A conductive foil 48 is disposed over the insulator 46 and a braided conductive shield 50 (or braided conductor) surrounds the foil-covered insulator 46. An outer insulative jacket 52 surrounds the shield 50. In order to prepare the coaxial cable 4 for termination with a connector, the outer jacket 52 is stripped back exposing a portion of the braided conductive shield 50. The exposed braided conductive shield 50 is folded back over the jacket 52. A portion of the insulator 46 covered by the conductive foil 48 extends outwardly from the jacket 52 and a portion of the center conductor 44 extends outwardly from within the insulator 46.
Upon assembly, a coaxial cable is inserted into the cable receiving end of the connector body and the annular post is forced between the foil covered insulator and the conductive shield of the cable. In this regard, the post is typically provided with a radially enlarged barb to facilitate expansion of the cable jacket. The locking sleeve is then moved axially into the connector body to clamp the cable jacket against the post barb providing both cable retention and a water-tight seal around the cable jacket. The connector can then be attached to an external device by tightening the internally threaded nut to an externally threaded terminal or port of the external device.